Who's buzzworthy at the University of Rochester?

In a few weeks, I’m going to start experiencing some big changes. During the past four years, I’ve gotten pretty used to my way of life. Go to class, take care of my assignments, play lots of tennis, eat well, and get enough sleep.

It’s not always that simple, but overall, it’s been a pretty nice life, one with which I’ve gotten very comfortable and familiar. For better or worse, though, my college lifestyle is about to end as i head toward graduation on May 15.

What’s next? I don’t even know for sure. But what is for sure is that leaving Rochester will be an emotional moment, as it clearly marks the end of one stage of my life and the beginning of the next.

Since this is a blog post, and not a book, I’ll refrain from going too far into what these past four years have been like for me. While the details vary from person to person, I know I’m not the only graduating senior who can accurately characterize their time at UR by saying that there were some great times, some tough times, and that in the end it was a positive experience.

It might be a bit cliche, but there’s a reason for that. See, one thing I realized early on in college is that while you’re not a kid living at home anymore, and you’re not an adult making a living yet, you’re still experiencing life just as much as anyone else. The challenges you face, and how you deal with them, are just as valid now as at any other point in life. So while I’m lucky that I haven’t yet had to worry about many “real world” problems, I have plenty of confidence that I’ll be able to deal with the challenges ahead, just like I’ve managed to do with whatever has come my way here at UR.

Even in the dead of winter, this campus always produced some beautiful moments.

During these final few weeks, I’ve been doing some thinking about what I’ll miss most about this place. One thing that I don’t think I’ve fully appreciated is the quality of people around here. First and foremost, it’s been a pleasure to be around my fellow students. Not everyone has things in common, and I probably only know a small fraction of the students, but with pretty much no exceptions, everyone I’ve encountered has been nice, thoughtful, and genuinely easy to get along with.

I think about how many times professors have made the dreaded announcement to discuss something with the person sitting next to you. Were these conversations with strangers awkward? Sometimes, yes (especially if someone—never me, of course—hadn’t been paying attention.) But after going through this countless times, it’s really stuck out to me how congenial and relatively pleasant these interactions were. Maybe I’m looking too far into this small thing, but in my eyes it’s a great indicator of what a solid group of people I’ve been able to call my peers.

It’s not just the students that have left an impact on me, though. I probably shouldn’t lump so many others into one group, but I’m going to do it anyway and say that I’ve appreciated pretty much everyone else around here, too. Professors, administrators, coaches, food service and facilities workers, and librarians are just some of the folks that I’ll remember fondly. Many times I would find myself in a conversation with someone, telling them about my day and hearing about theirs. Rarely did it go beyond that, but, simply put, the humaneness of those who live and work on this campus made it a special place for me, and that’s one of the things I’ll certainly miss the most.

During this time of transition in my life, when I’m not looking back on the past, I’m often thinking about the future. For a while now I’ve faced the classic “what are your plans after college?” question, and like any soon-to-be grad, answering is a breeze at this point, even though I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing. I usually tell people what I think they’ll want to hear. How I might get a job doing something related to my major, or that I might go to grad school, both of which are possible, but not necessarily likely. I rarely say the more accurate and honest response about my plans, which is that I don’t really know, but I can guarantee it’ll be something I love doing. For me, more important than money, prestige, or what other people will think, I know that my top priority is that I’m doing something that gets me out of bed in the morning, something I truly enjoy.

While my college tennis playing career is over, I’m certain the sport will continue to be a big part of my life moving forward.

When I think about what it is that falls into this description, there’s really only one thing that fits the bill right now. If you know me at all, or probably even if you’ve ever had a conversation with me, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s tennis that really gets my wheels turning. I’ve always loved tennis, but playing on the team here at UR and dedicating a big part of my life to the sport has made me realize that I want it to continue to be one of the biggest parts of my life moving forward.

For a while, it bothered me that when I told people this, they gave me a look and sometimes even openly questioned why I wasn’t pursuing a “real job.” Now, however, I am unfazed by how others perceive my hopes and goals for the future. At UR, I think a big reason why I’m leaving with the feeling that it was a successful four years is because I lived by the belief that you always need to focus on doing things you enjoy as much as you can. This approach to life served me well in college, and I have no doubt that sticking with it and seeing where it leads me is the right play moving forward.

It’s difficult to put into words any real description of my experience at UR. It’s a bit like trying to answer the question, “What has your life been like for the last four years?” Despite the complexity of it all, there are certain things that stick out in my mind as graduation day nears. First, I’ve learned a ton here—a lot in my classes, but even more outside of them. Second, I’ve had some of the best times of my life in Rochester, moments I’ll never forget and always look back on fondly. I’ve also had some real challenges along the way, where I struggled and was down. Through it all, however, I leave UR with a sincere gratitude for everything these past four years, and for everyone that played a part in it.

Ben Shapiro ’16 is an English major from Scarsdale, New York. He recently was named Phi Beta Kappa and has served as president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. He has written for The Buzz, the Campus Times and Messenger Post Media in Canandaigua.

This year’s Freshman Class Council roster reads like the list of delegates at a United Nations meeting. The officers hail from a host of countries scattered across the globe, including places as far away as Puerto Rico, Spain, China and Dubai, and as close as UR’s own backyard.

Beatriz Gil Gonzalez

Beatriz Gil Gonzalez, president of the Class Council, is an international student from Barcelona, Spain. She is interested in politics and is passionate about inclusion, culture and working with others.

Deema Abdo

Deema Abdo was born in Syria, but has lived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates most of her life. She holds the position of Event Coordinator and is planning on double majoring in Business and Film and Media Studies. Abdo says that she decided to run for Class Council because she “knew I had many great ideas for our freshman year and thought it would be a great opportunity to put them into action.”

Ramon Nieves

Ramon Nieves is the Business Manager and calls Puerto Rico home. Of the diversity in his class, Ramon says, ” Since I came here, I can honestly say I [have] met a great friend from Syria, and I feel as if I’m living right around the corner from Hong Kong, Turkey and South Africa simultaneously. Every door I knock on and every friend I make is part of a different and even more diverse story that I am privileged to join.”

Devon Baijal

Devan Baijal is originally form Nashville, Tennessee, but has lived in Yokohoma, Japan for the last two years. He is Vice President of the class council and wants to “help make this freshman year as memorable as it can be.”

Brandon Reinkensmeyer

Brandon Reinskensmeyer, Spirit Week Coordinator, is from Collinsville, IL and has an enthusiasm for getting the freshman class involved in the Greater Rochester community.
“We have an endless supply of opportunities at our hands, and I plan on taking full advantage of our amazing resources,” he says.
Brandon is studying Brain and Cognitive Science and Psychology.

John Cole

John Cole is a first generation American whose whole family is South African. He was born in Ithaca, but grew up in Oberlin, Ohio, and decided to run for class council because he ” loves being involved in campus activities and helping put on events for the student body to enjoy.” He is studying International Relations and Financial Economics and plans on running for Class Council again when his term as Sponsorship Chair is up.

SeokJin “Jin” Kim is the Publicity Chair and says he is “amazed and humbled by the different kinds of people that I have been surrounded by here [at the U of R].” He hails from Chicago and became involved in Class Council because he wanted to find a way to engage with the Rochester community.

Kristie Kaczmarek

Kristie Kaczmarek is the Logistics Chair and is from Amsterdam, New York, a small town outside of Albany. She is studying Biochemical Engineering and says that she joined Class Council because she “felt that it would be a fun experience to get to know my classmates. After a semester of Class Council, my hopes for the council have been far exceeded!”

Zane Xiao

Perhaps the most interesting member of the council is Zeen “Zane” Xiao, who is from, in his own words, “the middle of nowhere” China and just turned 16 years old last week. He is the youngest, by far, member of the Class Council. Intending on double majoring in History and Art History as well as minoring in Music, this exceptional young man wasn’t daunted by the age difference between himself and his peers when he came to school. He took the initiative to run for an office in his first semester and was elected the Secretary of Class Council when he was still just 15, proving that age is truly just a number when it comes to school spirit.

Today marks the start of Spirit Week, which will be chock full of fun events, giveaways, and surprise Rocky appearances.

As we head toward Thanksgiving break, let’s give thanks for all that we have.

Nick Bruno, a junior majoring in audio and music engineering, put together this wonderful video of UR students telling us what they are more grateful for. Thanks also to Joy Bian for her work on this video.

For Mary Bucklin, founder of the University of Rochester’s chapter of the College Diabetes Network, twin sister Hannah’s type 1 diabetes has never been a sad thing.
“My parents tried to make it exciting and like a new thing,” the senior says. “I remember when she got her first [insulin] shot, it was a big deal. We all gathered around and helped her out.”

Since that day, Mary, who does not have diabetes, and her family have been very active in their local diabetes community, attending events and speakers at their hospital and participating in walks, as supportive and involved a family as there could be. But Mary says not everyone has such a strong support system and this is one of the reasons she decided to start a College Diabetes Network (CDN) chapter on campus.

It’s important to her that people with diabetes on campus know that there is a group they can go to if they want it.

“Not everyone out there wants that or needs that,” Bucklin says, ” but just to know that when something comes up, if your pump fails, to know that there is someone to call who can get you extra medical supplies. Or if you need a package picked up, someone can get that. Those things are pretty essential (to people with diabetes), and it’s a life or death situation.”

Hannah started a CDN chapter at the University of Pennsylvania her freshmen year – one of only five in the nation at the time. Now, that number has grown to nearly 100. CDN had been founded by two collegiate women only years before. Mary was inspired by Hannah’s efforts and started her own chapter here at UR.

“It was one of those things, like, when I was a freshman I thought about it, and then I didn’t do anything about it,” Mary says. “I would tell people to kind of confirm that this was something I was going to do and kind of like to see what their reaction was to the club.”

It wasn’t until the fall of her sophomore year that Mary decided to make the club official and went before SA to get recognition. She talked to one of the SA advisers and did some preliminary research, but “I didn’t really have a plan.”

She went before the SA board anyway and was denied.

“I probably should have investigated more or talked to some more people than I did before I went into my first meeting,” she says. “I was not prepared at all and they asked me, ‘Oh , what are you going to do’ and I had two ideas and was just under prepared and so we got denied.”

Disheartened, Bucklin tried again and was denied by SA a second time. Meanwhile, she met with University Health Services and began running her club through them. She organized events and hosted speakers, such as a triathlete with diabetes, all the while perfecting her presentation.

Mary and Hannah Bucklin at the 2013 CDN student advisory retreat.

Last spring, she went up before the board one final time.

“I said, ‘OK, I’m going to try it one more time, and if it doesn’t work (this time) then it’s probably not going to work.’ But we got accepted in the spring and it was very exciting. (This fall) was the first time that we got to go to the activities fair and have a table and so now our email list has expanded like 20 times and we have a lot of freshmen that are really excited about it… The response that we got from this freshman class was overwhelming and really exciting.”

Bucklin says this enthusiasm makes her wonder if “there were a lot of (older) kids that I didn’t get to reach out to” but says she is happy with how things are going this semester.

According to Bucklin, there are only about 30 students with diabetes on campus and about 8-10 of them are in the club, a solid representation of the campus population. The rest of the 40-odd members who attend the events are students without diabetes but who might have a friend or relative with the disease or who are just invested in spreading awareness. UR’s CDN chapter has more than 200 names on its email list.

Mary says that one of the goals of the club is to give people “a better idea of what diabetes is, because there’s a lot of myths and sometimes people are like, ‘Oh, if you eat sugar you’re going to get diabetes,’ and that’s not really true. Because people who have type 1, one misconception is that they can’t eat sugar. If you have type 1 diabetes you can eat whatever you want, you just have to monitor it and there are no health restrictions, you just have an insulin pump. You’re just like a normal person, just you’re in charge of how much insulin your body has. Getting rid of those misconceptions and getting people to stop saying things like that is definitely one goal of the club.”

As Hannah herself has said: “Diabetes reflects life. It’s not always going to be perfect.”

Mary wants to make the larger UR campus community healthier by showing them good eating habits and the benefits of regular exercise. That’s why CDN and UHS have teamed up to present the Monday Mile, a mile long walk around campus every Monday aimed at getting people out of the library and moving for a few minutes a week.

Her aspirations don’t end at the Genesee River, however. CDN also wants to include the rest of the Rochester community in its initiatives. This is why Mary has set up the Teen Diabetes Network, a group of five or six local teens with diabetes who meet once a week.

“Sometimes we talk about diabetes, sometimes we just talk about regular life,” she says. “They just get to meet other kids in the community with diabetes. It’s been fun and I definitely want to expand it and have ideas for the future, but for now we have something at least.”

To those who wish to start their own clubs on campus, Bucklin says don’t be discouraged.

“Finding one or two other people that are really excited about this made it possible. If I was just doing this by myself, I know I couldn’t have done it.”

She cites Morgan Kath and Sarah Friedman, the vice president and secretary of CDN, respectively, as instrumental in her efforts to establishing a club. Morgan’s sister, Courtney, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 14 years ago. Sarah was diagnosed as a teen-ager.

“There’s definitely going to be hoops you have to go through, but you can find ways around it,” Mary says. “And finding faculty and students that are excited about what you are doing is a big help.”

Bucklin has plans for the future, but for now she is thrilled to finally be an SA-recognized organization and to be serving on the CDN national board of student advisers, helping other people set up chapters at their schools and making the organization she is so devoted to a little better everyday.

November is National Diabetes Month and CDN will be putting on a host of events to raise awareness, including a Go Blue breakfast and tabling in Wilson Commons. Make sure to stop by their table and ask them some questions, you might just have your prior notions about diabetes turned upside down.

To read more about the College Diabetes Network, specifically the University of Rochester club, please click right here

When Reverend Denise Yarbrough first started working at the University of Rochester’s Interfaith Chapel three years ago, she was a little put off by the main sanctuary worship space on the third floor.

“I took a look at that chapel and thought to myself, ‘Hmmm,'” she says. “It’s supposed to be an interfaith sacred space, but because of its setup with immovable pews, it was really only set up to worship the way Christians worship, maybe Jews. So, I was concerned that it wasn’t really an interfaith space.”

She says that in her first year here, only two Protestant groups used the sanctuary on a regular basis for prayer. This was the driving force behind her desire to renovate the Sanctuary.

Rev. Denise Yarbrough

The pews have been removed and replaced by easily manipulated chairs that can be arranged in a variety of ways or removed completely. There are also panels that come down and segment the main space into three parts, creating a smaller, less daunting feel for the main area. This is better for smaller groups to worship in because it allows them to create a more intimate environment, rather than having a small number of people pray in a cavernous space built for 500. Before, many of these smaller groups would pray on the river level, but the sanctuary is such an attractive space that it feels like a waste not to utilize it.

The panels on the sides of the sanctuary have been pulled down to create a more intimate space.

The seats can now also be moved to create an open, flat space for those whose religious practice calls for such an arrangement

Yarbrough says that, since the renovation, four new groups have started praying in the space regularly. That includes the Muslim Student Association, which uses the space for Friday worship, and a Zen Buddhist group which meets there every Monday night.

The old stone dais has been replaced with a movable lectern that can be shifted and transported around the room to suit the worshipers’ needs.

Yarbrough says the fact that the dais can be removed hopefully will encourage the larger campus community to utilize the space more. It allows for the stage to be made clear and accessible for appropriate performances to take place . This includes the movement and music that are often part of worship as well as other organizations from the wider campus community.

A wooden dais has replaced the old stone one. The new one can be easily lifted and moved to clear the stage or change the room’s focal point.

While it might seem like this renovation was welcomed by the whole community, there was some opposition to the changes at first. Claire Webster ’16, President of the Protestant student group PCC, says that she was initially against removing the pews because, “as a Protestant, I’m very used to having pews in my worship space.”

She changed her opinion after seeing the changes.

“Now that the renovations have happened, though, I’m relatively pleased with the result,” she says. “I really like that there is now carpeting covering the whole floor, rather than there just being carpet in the aisles and tiling underneath the pews. It makes footfalls quieter when we get up for the passing of the peace, and it makes the whole sanctuary feel warmer.”

Webster also likes the addition of the screens and says that, ” On a typical Sunday we have about 20 to 25 people at a PCC service, so being able to bring in the partitions allows us to worship in a space that is more apt for the size of our organization.”

One of the side spaces created inside the Interfaith Chapel by lowering the screens.

While she thinks most of the changes “have been great,” Webster laments the loss of the pews as they featured racks to place hymnals in on their backs. Other members of PCC have complained that the absence of these racks is inconvenient, as they now have to place their hymnals on the seat besides them.

Even though it sometimes seems odd to her not to be praying in pews, Webster says that, “it’s good that the sanctuary has become a more versatile space.”

Yarbrough is satisfied with the changes, however, and thinks this renovation has returned the chapel to fulfilling the purpose it was built for 45 years ago. It is now a true sanctuary for every faith and can accommodate all their worshiping needs.

Yarbrough thinks that the original creators would be pleased with the Interfaith Chapel today.

Coming into college, there’s no avoiding the big changes that every student has to face. The usual stuff, like living in a dorm, eating in a dining hall, and managing the difficulty of college academics, are all common challenges for freshmen.

For some, however, there are the added responsibilities of being a varsity athlete, making the transition to college an even bigger task. And while playing a sport for your school certainly brings with it some moments of adversity, it doesn’t take long for even the newest competitors to realize the rewarding experience it can be.

Masaru Fujimaki should be a key part of the Yellowjackets’ starting lineup in the spring.

This year, three freshmen joined the men’s varsity tennis team, all coming from different backgrounds and each bringing a unique skill set and personality to the squad. This is their perspective on life as a freshman on the tennis team.

“I was very excited about college tennis and participating on the varsity team,” said Masaru Fujimaki, a Japan native who grew up in Shanghai. “I heard a lot about the experiences that I can have from playing a college sport, such as excellent facilities, experienced coaches and trainers, and competitive players from all around the nation.”

Fujimaki’s excitement coming in was shared by Iowa native Alexander Punj, who said, “I was fairly excited to start a new chapter of my life—meeting new friends, learning to be a part of a competitive team and adjusting to a rigorous academic environment. I was certainly excited to play with new people, especially against other schools.”

Practicing or competing every day was an appealing prospect for the freshmen coming in, but it wasn’t without some trepidation. “I was nervous about balancing everything,” said Kevin Hunt, a big server from Chicago. “But I had also been balancing tennis and school throughout high school, so I knew I could handle it.”

Alexander Punj prepares to serve. Despite his small frame, the Iowan packs quite a punch.

All three readily admitted that balancing tennis with the rest of their lives—academics, friends, sleep—was not easy, but that they were getting the hang of it.

“College classes provide much more work than my high school ever did,” Punj explained. “Trying to balance the work and tennis was a challenge for the first month, but now that I understand the expectations, I am able to figure out how much time I have to spend for each class. Doing homework early has helped me significantly, allowing me to enjoy my weekends and get ahead in readings.”

Hunt has also tried to balance his many challenges.

“It has been a struggle at times, but for the most part it has been OK,” he said. “There is not a ton of down time or time to relax, but there is enough to get everything done and still have some fun if you manage your time well.”

Fujimaki, who rose to the top of the ‘Jackets singles lineup after only a few weeks with the team, has also found that time to relax can be hard to come by.

“Taking care of myself is very hard, because the time between classes and practices is pretty tight, and it is very important to have a lot of rest during the free time,” he said. “And injuries are common for athletes, so taking care of myself is very important for me now.”

Kevin Hunt’s extensive doubles experience will be a valuable asset for the ‘Jackets depth this year.

Despite the challenges they’ve faced and will continue to deal with, all three have clear goals for themselves and the team this season.

“My goal is to improve my fitness,” Punj said. “I was fairly good at fitness in high school, but these college workouts have been much more rigorous and I need to spend my own time working on running and lifting.”

For Fujimaki, his sights are set high for himself.

“I want to contribute as many wins as possible for the team.” he said, adding, “Good grades are still the most important thing for me as a student.”

Hunt, while just as driven and as hard a worker as his classmates, didn’t want to set the bar too high. His goals?

“To not fail out of school, and have fun.”

Perhaps not as impactful to hear, but important and valuable goals nonetheless.

Now that the freshmen have gotten into the groove of being varsity athletes, they’ve certainly developed a better understanding of what it takes to excel, and what they must overcome to do so. But the three have also learned the tremendous value being on the team can have.

“Sometimes, if I get stressed with classes or exams, tennis is the way to relax,” Fujimaki said.

Hunt agreed, saying, “It is a good way to take your mind off of school and other stresses.”

Maybe one of the biggest advantages of being an athlete is the built-in support group that adopts you as soon as you step on campus, something Punj has not failed to appreciate.

“My favorite part of being a college athlete is the team aspect, being connected to a group of people that are working towards one goal—to improve and win,” he said. “I have 11 other players working hard with me to get better. I love this team, and couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Ben Shapiro is a member of the University of Rochester men’s tennis team and one of 10 student-athletes named a Garnish Scholar, an award that honors exceptional academic and athletic performance.

Stepping back on campus this fall for my sophomore year brought on some healthy trepidation. But it also allowed me to go into the new year more informed than I was one year ago.

As a confident International Relations major, I was eager and excited to accomplish my second-year goals. But first, I need to reflect on how I got there.

Jackie Powell is a sophomore International Relations major at the University of Rochester.

After graduating from high school, I had the image of college implanted in my head.

I couldn’t wait for the days when I would have more time during the day (instead of being engaged in class for eight hours straight), and would be able to meet someone new every day.

I came to the University of Rochester from a small public school in southern Westchester County, outside of New York City. In that setting, it was simple: everyone knew everyone. This lifestyle became redundant and incredibly draining.

I was also given the mantra that in college, I would magically “find my people.” After a challenging freshman year where many of my preconceptions were challenged, I learned that my time here is what I make it and when life throws me lemons, it’s a waste of time to only taste the bitterness.

Here are some lessons learned my freshman year that allowed me to evolve from an eager high school graduate to an introspective human ready for the world.

Try new activities you never imagined doing.

You may surprise yourself and, in turn, broaden yourself as a human being. This could mean joining Greek life or some performance group that you never thought would be your cup of tea. You also may rekindle an old passion that simply wasn’t cool “enough” in high school.

I had always been interested in trying sports broadcasting but never had the opportunity in high school. But at college last fall, I got a job at the Goergen Athletic Center to Webcast various sports events. I love it.

In college, that phrase “cool enough” is about as real as the ancient city of Atlantis.

With that in mind, spread your wings, go out on a limb and try something new.

Laundry should be done sooner rather than later.

You don’t want to end up in a situation where you have to wear a pair of socks two or three days in a row. Although doing laundry takes a lot of time, set aside a few hours every two weeks. You can do homework in between it being done.

Personally, I would always procrastinate simply because it took so much time. I was the typical freshman who would bring home a boatload of laundry during winter break.

I’ve learned that as long as you map out what you can accomplish while your laundry is being done, the process might not seem a waste of your time.

Also, we now have the luxury where laundry is completely free on campus. There is no need to have to worry about not having any change.

People here on campus can be so appreciative of someone simply holding a door open or just a compliment. When finals occur at the end of this semester, the Active Minds Club facilitates an “add a compliment and take one” activity within the library.

Once again, the whole thought of “is it cool to be kind?” is far from relevant.

Random acts of kindness can be impetuses for friendships and other relationships.

Let your quirks shine.

In high school, people put their noses up if you were a little quirky, appreciated uncharacteristic ideals or were passionately obsessed with something.

In college, your quirks define you in the greatest way possible. Something that your parents or even common sense doesn’t always tell you is that making friends takes time. Fostering your new relationships with people doesn’t take 30 seconds. It takes time and effort to nurture these friendships.

Releasing these quirks helps with the “finding my people” portion of your freshman year and even general college experience. If you show others your “true self,” there will be people out there who will gravitate toward your truth.

Be honest.

Lincoln was called “Honest Abe” for a reason.

In order to keep the relationships and friendships you’ve made in college healthy, it’s crucial to be on the same page.

The mature people in this world will appreciate you being forward with them. Everyone makes mistakes; it’s simply human nature to do so. Rather than pushing conflicts or secrets under a rug, let the people in who care.

Being honest also helps a great deal with keeping your sanity. #sanityisimportant

Calendars save lives; use them.

It’s crucial to be aware of your schedule. Having a calendar in your dorm room, on your smart phone, a Google calendar or a book you carry with you that ideally has “your life in it” is vital to being professional and responsible.

For example, you wouldn’t want to miss a meeting with a professor or forget when your work shift is.

I always keep an academic calendar and a personal life calendar. This way, I have a place to see when all of my assignments are due and another place to put down work shifts, club meetings and other social plans.

Besides remembering appointments and shifts, calendars can help you make social plans and even carve out some time where you can just relax.

Ask for help.

Asking for guidance isn’t a negative by any means. If anything, the stronger people in this world are the ones who realize there is some assistance needed in order to better themselves.

I used to struggle with this quite a bit when I was in high school. I felt like I didn’t need assistance, and if I did, it meant I wasn’t capable enough. I now understand that everyone will have challenges and the ones who take a stand and conquer those challenges are the capable ones.

I mean, we are all about “Meliora” at UR aren’t we?

There are so many resources here at the University (which y’all have probably heard about because of the very informative orientation week). Some examples include: The Care Network, University Counseling Center (UCC) and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

Stay in contact with your family.

Showing your family that you are alive and well can be difficult sometimes. Even sending them texts multiple times a week doesn’t take too much time or effort.

Also, when life gets rough at school, never be afraid to ask for help from your family. They care about you and will most likely offer good advice and even might be able to assist. There is a major possibility that your relationships with your family will change.

I would try to talk to my family on Sundays. We aimed for once a week, but sometimes life got a bit crazy. My dad was notorious for sending me goofy articles during the week, and I’m glad to say he continues to do that.

Don’t be defeated by rejection.It’s important to let rejection from a group or a job motivate you and not destroy you.

But, if there is one thing that you want oh-so-badly, let persistence work for you as well.

I auditioned for two a capaella groups, a theater trouple and applied to a steering committee within the first two weeks of my freshman year. I didn’t get into any of them. Yes, that process was really degrading, but that rejection allowed me to experience difference activities. The great thing about UR is that if you aren’t satisfied with how something is done, you have the power to create what you want to see on campus.

My favorite Thoreau quote is: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined.” Don’t be afraid to dream big and innovate. Rejection is one of the world’s greatest teachers; allow it to teach.

When stress kicks in, remember to be thankful.

This one applies to everyone that is a student at this University. It is worth a lot of money to be able to study (and grow as a human being) here.

We sometimes need to put our first-world problems on a shelf and imagine all of the people in this world who may never get to experience what we have here in Rochester. If you ever start comparing yourself to others, remember to appreciate all of the opportunities that are given to you here. Those opportunities should overpower all of the envious thoughts.

Coming to college really showed me how lucky I am. Not all of my friends come from a supportive family or are even all that close to theirs. This reaffirms why it’s important to talk to your family. Let them know how thankful you are to be in college and to have their support.

There are obviously more than 10 lessons learned from freshman year. But, if you keep this list in mind, I’m sure you will be on your way to making your transition a little bit more seamless.
It can be helpful to let go of preconceived notions and “expect the unexpected.” When I ventured back to Westchester County for summer break, people would ask me about the year. I simply responded with “It was a very rich year.”

One of the great things about this campus is how involved students are in extracurricular activities like clubs and organizations. Almost every type of interest is represented in the 200-plus clubs from fencing to math to model UN. But for me, the most amazing thing of all is the sheer number of different dance groups.

With groups that specialize in Bhangra, Irish Step dance, Ethiopian dance, hip hop, salsa and so many more styles, you would be hard pressed to find one that isn’t represented.

For many students, dance was a hobby they pursued in high school and wanted to continue when they got to college. For some, its a good way to get rid of tension and have a break from the strenuous needs of academic life.

As junior Yukako Ito, a Dance minor and Computer Science major, puts it, “I started dance to have a stress reliever during my busy schedule… now I also do it as a passion!”

Each fall, as a part of the fourth annual First Niagara Rochester Fringe Festival, students from these organizations, and those taking classes with the dance department, are invited to perform in the annual Diversity of Dance performance which showcases the diverse dance types here on campus and in the world.

This year, the performance took place on Saturday, September 26 at the School of the Arts and featured eight different pieces from UR Bhangra, Radiance, Indulgence, Dance 380- Repertory and Performance, Ur Celtic, Xclusive Step Team, Sahir and a solo by Yukako Ito, a Junior in the dance program.

Each group had a five-minute window to fill with choreography and the range of performances was simply wonderful to see. No two groups performed the same genre and the audience was treated

Members of Dance 380- Repertory and Performance pose for a picture before their performance

to a tour of the world through movement.

From belly dancing to hip hop to jazz, students dazzled the audience with sparkling costumes and shining skills. Even though the audience was small and it was early on a Saturday, all of the groups performed with high energy.

This performance is like a tiny sampling of all the distinct and differing backgrounds that the students on this campus represent. These differences are the spices that give our community so much flavor and spark. The dance community is one place where all of these differences shine through in a kaleidoscope of culture and movement. So many countries have their own dance tradition and it is so great to get to see these celebrated by the groups on campus and in the dance department.

Junior and UR Celtic member Erinmarie Byrnes says, ” Dancing with Celtic reminds me that I do Irish dance because I love it, and that its worth dedicating time to even on days that feel bogged down by stress and work.”

The Diversity of Dance performance gives us an opportunity to showcase the differences that make Rochester the vibrant and international community it is and share and celebrate our students passions with the city of Rochester as well.

This is the first of what we hope will be many editions of The Buzz – a blog written FOR students and BY students.

We want to hear your exciting story ideas. Got a great event coming up? Win an award? Taking a unique course? Or maybe you just have some amazing photos of campus life you’d like to see posted.

Let us know. We’d love to share it with the University of Rochester community.

Student Life Press Officer Jim Mandelaro and junior Joy Bian will be your source for news around campus as editors of The Buzz.

Here’s a brief look at who we are:

JIM MANDELARO, editor of The Buzz: Jim joined the University in June after two-plus decades as a sportswriter at the Democrat and Chronicle.

He won three New York State Associated Press Awards for feature sports writing (beating out the New York Times!) and is the author of three books: Silver Seasons: The Story of the Rochester Red Wings; Silver Seasons and a New Frontier; and Outside The Game: A Collection of Inspirational Sports Stories.

He is the Student Life Press Officer on campus, in charge of publicizing the great people and events going on at the University of Rochester’s River Campus.

Jim reports:

“I’m excited to get The Buzz off and running. This is a community with endless great stories, and with your help we will tell those stories. I am also looking for students who like to write or take photographs and want to contribute to The Buzz. Please let me know if you are interested. You can also send me writing or photo samples to the email below.

JOY BIAN, student editor of The Buzz: Joy is a junior majoring in digital media studies. She transferred to Rochester one year ago from Beijing. She was born in the southern part of China near Shanghai.

Joy reports:

“Like most of my Chinese friends of the same age, I am the only child in my family due to the Family Planning Program that began in the 1980s. My father is a marketing director of a paper company. As long as he touches the paper and feels the texture, he knows the type of it. He is really an expert. My mother was an accountant before she retired.

“Our winter is cold but no one describes it as freezing or even brutal like it was in Rochester last winter. Though startled at first, I got used to it very quickly and started to enjoy the bubbly life of shoveling the snow every morning. My roommates and I regarded it as a morning exercise. Thirty-minutes shoveling exercise plus car cleaning drill, what else can be more efficient to work out your body? No running machine, no elliptical, no tennis court – a shovel and a snow brush, that’s all you need for keeping fit in winter.

“I fell in love with the video editing. That’s why I joined URTV last semester, filming student activities and editing the videos clips. I also took one of the most interesting courses in my life—Sound Design. I did my final project on dubbing for a movie trailer of Indiana Jones. I recorded the human voice, played the background music on digital keyboard and mixed the sound effects of bombing, shrieking and car crash, etc. After playing around with digital technologies, I became more and more interested in how information is shared nowadays via various communication platforms.

“Now I want to hear your marvelous experience and stories! No matter if it is on campus or off campus,we are excited to hear from you! So are you ready to share with us?”